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A broad search of the Internet will quickly reveal that banning the sale of dogs and other animals from Kingston pet stores is unlikely to put an end to illegal breeding.

Popular websites such as Kijiji and Craigslist contain dozens of advertisements for puppies, kittens and other animals from so-called “backyard breeders” in Kingston — despite the fact the city’s animal control bylaw prohibits the breeding of animals without a permit.

But selling puppies, for example, can be a profitable business.

Online, eight-week-old puppies are sold for anywhere from $150 to close to $2,000 each.

“We would view (that) there are a significant number of examples of illegal backyard breeding occurring in the city,” said Greg McLean, policy and program co-ordinator with the city’s licensing and bylaw department.

“We recognize that it’s important for us to ramp up our regulation and enforcement resources to address it.”

Unlike pet stores, enforcing the bylaw poses challenges, McLean said.

“There are challenges, certainly in terms of gathering evidence,” he said.

Many of the advertisements don’t include an exact address or telephone number and would require an enforcement officer to contact a seller through a website.

A permit to breed animals is $231 each year.

McLean could not provide the number of permits sold each year, but said there aren’t many.

But McLean said many of the puppies being sold online are a result of accidental pregnancies. The dogs are sold to recover the costs of raising the litter, he said.

Others, he said, are advertised by breeders that belong to national or international membership bodies, such as the Canadian Kennel Club.

In the case of unintended litters, McLean said, enforcement officers often will give sellers a warning and encourage them to spay and neuter their pets.

McLean admits more work needs to be done to address the sale of dogs, cats and other animals from illegal breeders.

“(Backyard breeders) are the ones that as we move from reactive to being proactive in the enforcement of that particular clause of the (bylaw), those are the ones we’re going to be focusing on and are focusing on,” he said.

He said the department relies on monitoring websites for these breeders and receiving tips from the public.

If found guilty, sellers could face a maximum fine of $5,000, McLean said.

An officer could also issue a $500 ticket.

Connie Ball, executive director of the Kingston Humane Society, said there are other drawbacks to buying an animal from a backyard breeder.

Ball said animals could have a number of temperament and health issues that could pose a risk to owners.

If there are issues, she said, buyers often do not have the option to return an animal to a seller.

When animals are surrendered to the humane society, Ball said, they are spayed or neutered, receive a microchip, vaccinations and are de-wormed.

They are also screened for temperament and effort is given to match an animal with an appropriate family, she said.

“No one really ever knows the true history of the animal,” she said. “We have on-staff animal health-care professionals. We really try to work with (animals). We provide that ongoing support once they leave.”

Adopting an animal from the humane society also ensures they are spayed or neutered, which can help control overpopulation in the community, she said.